diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/doc/savingstages.cpp b/apps/opencs/model/doc/savingstages.cpp
index 610d2ab807..3ef465f39d 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/doc/savingstages.cpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/doc/savingstages.cpp
@@ -253,12 +253,12 @@ void CSMDoc::CollectionReferencesStage::perform(int stage, Messages& messages)
 
         if (record.isModified() || record.mState == CSMWorld::RecordBase::State_Deleted)
         {
-            ESM::RefId cellId = record.get().mOriginalCell.empty() ? record.get().mCell : record.get().mOriginalCell;
+            const ESM::RefId& cellId = record.get().mOriginalCell.empty() ? record.get().mCell : record.get().mOriginalCell;
 
             std::deque<int>& indices = mState.getSubRecords()[cellId.getRefIdString()];
 
             // collect moved references at the end of the container
-            bool interior = cellId.getRefIdString().substr(0, 1) != "#";
+            bool interior = cellId.getRefIdString()[0] != '#';
             std::ostringstream stream;
             if (!interior)
             {
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ void CSMDoc::WriteCellCollectionStage::perform(int stage, Messages& messages)
         || references != mState.getSubRecords().end())
     {
         CSMWorld::Cell cellRecord = cell.get();
-        bool interior = cellRecord.mId.getRefIdString().substr(0, 1) != "#";
+        bool interior = cellRecord.mId.getRefIdString()[0] != '#';
 
         // count new references and adjust RefNumCount accordingsly
         unsigned int newRefNum = cellRecord.mRefNumCounter;
@@ -447,7 +447,7 @@ void CSMDoc::WritePathgridCollectionStage::perform(int stage, Messages& messages
     {
         CSMWorld::Pathgrid record = pathgrid.get();
         std::string recordIdString = record.mId.getRefIdString();
-        if (recordIdString.substr(0, 1) == "#")
+        if (recordIdString[0] == '#')
         {
             std::istringstream stream(recordIdString.c_str());
             char ignore;
diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/tools/startscriptcheck.cpp b/apps/opencs/model/tools/startscriptcheck.cpp
index 1e81967832..bf30133381 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/tools/startscriptcheck.cpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/tools/startscriptcheck.cpp
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ void CSMTools::StartScriptCheckStage::perform(int stage, CSMDoc::Messages& messa
     if ((mIgnoreBaseRecords && record.mState == CSMWorld::RecordBase::State_BaseOnly) || record.isDeleted())
         return;
 
-    auto scriptId = record.get().mId;
+    const auto& scriptId = record.get().mId;
 
     CSMWorld::UniversalId id(CSMWorld::UniversalId::Type_StartScript, scriptId);
 
diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/tools/tools.cpp b/apps/opencs/model/tools/tools.cpp
index 4a58a4fdf9..0c5852efd0 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/tools/tools.cpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/tools/tools.cpp
@@ -77,11 +77,14 @@ CSMDoc::OperationHolder* CSMTools::Tools::getVerifier()
         connect(&mVerifier, &CSMDoc::OperationHolder::done, this, &Tools::done);
         connect(&mVerifier, &CSMDoc::OperationHolder::reportMessage, this, &Tools::verifierMessage);
 
-        std::vector<std::string> mandatoryIds{ "Day", "DaysPassed", "GameHour", "Month", "PCRace" };
 
         std::vector<ESM::RefId> mandatoryRefIds;
-        for (auto& id : mandatoryIds)
-            mandatoryRefIds.push_back(ESM::RefId::stringRefId(id));
+        {
+            auto mandatoryIds = { "Day", "DaysPassed", "GameHour", "Month", "PCRace" };
+            for (auto& id : mandatoryIds)
+                mandatoryRefIds.push_back(ESM::RefId::stringRefId(id));
+        }
+
 
         mVerifierOperation->appendStage(new MandatoryIdStage(
             mData.getGlobals(), CSMWorld::UniversalId(CSMWorld::UniversalId::Type_Globals), mandatoryRefIds));
diff --git a/apps/opencs/model/world/infocollection.cpp b/apps/opencs/model/world/infocollection.cpp
index 756009bf2a..b25f974bc7 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/model/world/infocollection.cpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/model/world/infocollection.cpp
@@ -143,12 +143,12 @@ int CSMWorld::InfoCollection::getInsertIndex(const std::string& id, UniversalId:
     int index = -1;
 
     const Info& info = static_cast<Record<Info>*>(record)->get();
-    auto topic = info.mTopicId;
+    const std::string& topic = info.mTopicId.getRefIdString();
 
     // if the record has a prev, find its index value
     if (!info.mPrev.empty())
     {
-        index = getInfoIndex(info.mPrev.getRefIdString(), topic.getRefIdString());
+        index = getInfoIndex(info.mPrev.getRefIdString(), topic);
 
         if (index != -1)
             ++index; // if prev exists, set current index to one above prev
@@ -158,13 +158,13 @@ int CSMWorld::InfoCollection::getInsertIndex(const std::string& id, UniversalId:
     if (index == -1 && !info.mNext.empty())
     {
         // if next exists, use its index as the current index
-        index = getInfoIndex(info.mNext.getRefIdString(), topic.getRefIdString());
+        index = getInfoIndex(info.mNext.getRefIdString(), topic);
     }
 
     // if next doesn't exist or not found (i.e. neither exist yet) then start a new one
     if (index == -1)
     {
-        Range range = getTopicRange(topic.getRefIdString()); // getTopicRange converts topic to lower case first
+        Range range = getTopicRange(topic); // getTopicRange converts topic to lower case first
 
         index = std::distance(getRecords().begin(), range.second);
     }
diff --git a/apps/opencs/view/render/worldspacewidget.cpp b/apps/opencs/view/render/worldspacewidget.cpp
index 37b7c28378..57e77911c6 100644
--- a/apps/opencs/view/render/worldspacewidget.cpp
+++ b/apps/opencs/view/render/worldspacewidget.cpp
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ CSVRender::WorldspaceWidget::DropType CSVRender::WorldspaceWidget::getDropType(
         if (iter->getType() == CSMWorld::UniversalId::Type_Cell
             || iter->getType() == CSMWorld::UniversalId::Type_Cell_Missing)
         {
-            type = iter->getId().substr(0, 1) == "#" ? Type_CellsExterior : Type_CellsInterior;
+            type = iter->getId()[0] == '#' ? Type_CellsExterior : Type_CellsInterior;
         }
         else if (iter->getType() == CSMWorld::UniversalId::Type_DebugProfile)
             type = Type_DebugProfile;
diff --git a/components/esm3/cellref.cpp b/components/esm3/cellref.cpp
index b27df00ade..ef03326b9d 100644
--- a/components/esm3/cellref.cpp
+++ b/components/esm3/cellref.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ namespace ESM
         template <bool load>
         void loadDataImpl(ESMReader& esm, bool& isDeleted, CellRef& cellRef)
         {
-            const auto getRefIdOrSkip = [&](ESM::RefId refId) {
+            const auto getRefIdOrSkip = [&](ESM::RefId& refId) {
                 if constexpr (load)
                     refId = esm.getRefId();
                 else